Brown paper bag
by GrandMoffAmbrius
Summary: Greg is buying some iteams that might cause others to question him and give him odd looks.


Disclaimer: I do not own anything of CSI. If I did, then things would be a whole lot different.

A/N: Thank you for all of your reviews and encouragements. There is a very important message at the end. I hope you enjoy this One-shot.

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Brown paper bag.

"Ok Greg, you can do this. There's nothing wrong with you. You're an adult and there's nothing illegal about it."

Sitting in his Jetta, Greg Sanders tried to encourage himself to go through with his actions. He was thinking out loud to get himself motivated. But all the talking he had done with himself had done nothing to loosen the death-grip hold he had on his steering wheel. Several people had walked through the parking lot and saw the young man in his vehicle talking to apparently no one. They thought nothing of it. After all, this was Las Vegas, and the town was filled with the odd and crazy.

"You can do it Sanders. Just go in, make small talk if you have too, find what you are looking for," Greg told himself as he slowly let go of the steering wheel and undid his seatbelt, "and then pay for it. Then you're out the door." Inhaling a large breath, Greg opened the car door, got out, and closed it.

Greg was felt extremely awkward as he pulled open the doo to his favorite store. He had discovered this place after he had moved to Las Vegas. The selection they carried defiantly satisfied every single one of his needs. And that was saying something. Whenever his friends found out what Greg was into, they would cringe and voice their opinions on how wrong it was.

"Hey Greg," the owner said as he came from behind a corner, carrying a large box full of brand new DVDs.

"Hi Craig."

"We got the new issue of your magazine in today. I was goanna call you later to let you know."

"Thanks Craig. I'm going look around."

Craig could tell something was up with his favorite costumer. From the moment Greg first walked into his store, the both of them hit things right off. Many of Craig's costumers had weird and had odd taste but Greg was off the scale. Greg's taste was all over the place and that was what Craig liked about him. Craig would even go as far to say that Greg was the one who helped in paying for his children's college education.

"All right then. Just yell if you need anything," Craig said as he went about his task of stocking a display case with the DVDs.

Greg walked down the nearest aisle. He looked at the various movies and merchandise but never stopped to actually pick something up and examine it closely. In all the months of walking down these aisles, Greg felt that he could walk with his eyes closed and know exactly where he going. As he walked around, Greg went past several people of whom Craig called his loyal customers. Each was busy going over their favorite sections and looking over what they could purchase. Some of their taste boggled Greg's mind.

'_There's nothing to be ashamed with. Lots of people are into it,' _Greg thought to himself.

He made his way down the aisle that featured his typical brand of supplies and looked around. Part out of habit, but the other half, was because he did not want anyone to see him go to the aisle that had what he was really after. After browsing through, nothing really caught his eye. He licked his lips; Greg glanced over to see where Craig was. Seeing that the owner was now busy with a costumer, Greg turned his head to see if anyone else could see him.

When he felt that no one could see him, Greg slowly made his way over to the labeled section he never thought he would go to. Located in the second to last aisle near the back of the store, Greg made his way down the aisle looking at the range of selection. He kept looking around to see if anyone had seen him yet and luckily no one had.

Greg took several minuets looking over the selection.

'_Ok Greg. You're in uncharted territory here. You may have some know-how about this stuff, but you're not one hundred percent sure about all it though. You can't call anyone and ask for help because they'll think you've gone off the deep end."_

A couple costumers finally caught sight of Greg. They exchanged puzzled looks with each other and shrugged their shoulders before walking off.

Greg caught sight of a DVD with a familiar title and reached for it. Looking the DVD over, Greg put it to the side and continued browsing. Finding a few more titles that sounded ok to him, Greg gathered up his small pile and headed to the front of the store to check out.

'_You can this Greg. It just takes a few seconds and then you're out the door.'_

"Ready to check out Greg?" Craig question from the display case he was still stocking.

"Yeah." Greg answered.

Craig placed the empty DVD box down and went over to the cash register. Greg walked up to the counter and placed his indented purchases down.

Craig reached below the counter and pulled out a plastic covered magazine and scanned it first. "Find anything else you liked?" Craig asked.

"Kind of."

Craig could again tell that Greg was nervous about something. He was acting like a sixteen year-old who was trying to buy his first case of beer with a fake ID. Saying nothing, Craig started to go through and scan the items starting with the magazine.

As he scanned the second item, the title of it caught his eye. Looking over the rest of the purchases, Craig saw that every single thing was not Greg's usual buy. When Greg saw Craig's brow beginning to furrow, he began to panic.

"It's not for me," Greg blurted out, "it's for a friend. He asked me to pick these up when… he… when he found out I was coming here. And I…"

"It's all right Greg," Craig reinsured him; "I'm just a little surprised is all. But hey, who am I to judge?"

He gave an encouraging smile and continued with the check out.

"Do you think you can do the brown bag this time?" Greg questioned.

Nodding his head, Craig went and placed everything in a discreet brown paper bag.

"Alright Greg, that will be a total of thirty-five fifty."

Greg handed over two twenties and received his change.

"I'll see you later then Craig."

"Alright. Have fun Greg."

Greg left the story clutching the brown paper bag to his chest and made a beeline straight to his car. Getting in, he started the engine and head out of the parking lot and straight to his apartment.

After Greg let himself into his apartment, he let out a huge exhaled of breath. It seemed like he had not done that since he first entered the store. Placing the paper bag on the coffee table, Greg went into the kitchen to get him something cold to drink. Returning to the living room, Greg went over to his fish tank and sprinkled some fish food over the top of the water. He watched his fish for a while before he walked back over to the coffee table.

Taking a sip of his beer, Greg reached for the bag and headed to his room. Onced he closed the door behind him; Greg sat on his bed and emptied the bag's contents onto the comforter. Greg did not know where to begin. His eyes fell over the title of the one item and he picked it up. Greg decided to start with that one. Going over to the TV, he turned it on and placed the DVD in the DVD player. Returning to the bed, he sat down and took another drink of beer and watched as the DVD started to play.

----------

The door to Greg's apartment opened slowly and Nick made sure to close it as quietly as he could. It had been a long shift and he was tired. Placing his keys on the small table by the door, he dumped his jacket on a chair.

"It's supposed to be my day off and I get called in at the last minute. Lucky me."

Rubbing his hands over his weary face, Nick went over to the fridge and got himself a cold beer. It was when he returned to the living room that the CSI noticed that he had not been tackled by his energetic boyfriend yet. Usually, Greg would have been boding up and down on the couch waiting for the Texan to arrive but Nick went through the entire routine without interruption.

"Greg? You home?"

'_That's a stupid question Stokes. You saw his car outside.'_

Nick decided to check the bedroom to see if Greg was in there before he called his cell phone. As he neared the closed door, Nick heard a familiar sound coming from within the room. He stopped to listen.

**A baby's born in the middle of the night in a local delivery room  
They grab his feet smack him till cries he goes home the next afternoon  
Before you know he's off to school and he graduates in May  
Goes out and gets a Ph.D. and then cures all sorts of things  
Wins a Nobel Prize and saves a million different lives  
The world a better place for all he's done  
It's funny when think about the reason he's alive  
Is all because two people fell in love**

"What the…"

Nick opened the door and walked in.

"Nicky!"

"Greg?"

Nick stared at the sight before him. His boyfriend, Greg Sanders, Heavy Metal enthuses; rave patron and Marylin Manson disciple was stretch out on his bed and watching Brad Paisely singing on his TV.

**Right now at a picnic shelter down by canyon creek  
You'll find potato salad, hot dogs and baked beans  
The whole Wilson family's lined up filling their paper plates  
They drove or flown in here from 15 different states  
Stanley Wilson said that sixty years ago he knew  
That miss sama tucker was the one  
Now five generations get together every June  
And all because two people fell in love**

"What…what are you watching G?"

Greg held up the DVD case to the CSI.

"Brad Paisley, the Video Collection."

Looking from the case to the bed, Nick saw that there were several other cases scattered on the comforter. Greg had bought a tone of Country Music.

"And why precisely, are you watching a Brad Paisely DVD Greggo?" Nick asked as he moved towards his side of the bed and sat down. He placed his beer on the nightstand next to Greg's.

"Well, look at him Nicky. He's absolutely adorable. He's got those innocent brown eyes and that little scruff. Have you seen him wear those tight t-shirts? He's a…"

"G."

Greg stopped when he saw Nick stare at him. He had a look in his eyes that told Greg the CSI knew the Californian was trying to bluff his way through.

"I was seeing what's so special about it that makes you like it. Then I could apologize to you?"

**Yea there ain't nothing not affected  
When two hearts get connected  
All that is will be or ever was  
Every single choice we make  
Every breath we get to take  
Is all because two people fell in love **

"Apologize? For what?" Nick asked.

"For what I said last week."

Nick was puzzled. "I'm lost G. What do you mean what you said last week?"

Sitting up, Greg pulled his legs up to his chest and wrapped his arms around them. He laid his head down. Nick saw Greg's shoulders start to shake and he knew Greg had started to cry. Moving behind Greg, Nick gently placed his arms around Greg and pulled the younger close to him. The Californian reacted and laid his head on the older man's chest. Nick could feel the tears fall on his shirt as he began to stroke the back of Greg's neck.

**I recall a young man who was drifting aimlessly  
And a young waitress who seemed lonesome as can be  
In a little cafe right off 14th avenue  
With a whole lot of help from up above  
We met and things sure turned around for me and you  
And all because two people fell in love**

"Sshh. It's ok Greg, its ok. Just relax."

Nick held Greg for a few moments then Greg started to speak.

"Last week, when we were coming back from dinner, we were listening to the radio and they were playing that Keith Urban song and I…well I made that stupid comment about Country Music being one of the worst things to have ever been created. Then, I went on how all country songs were basically all about the same things, sounded the same to each other and that the singers' voices hardly ever match their face. But then, when I looked over at you, you had this hurt look in your eyes. You didn't say anything, but I knew I had hurt you. So, since you had to go into work, I went out and got a few Country Music DVDs and CDs to see-"

He was interrupted by Nick's lips making connect with his own.

Nick recalled that evening and was surprise by Greg's admission. True, he had been a little hurt by Greg's comments, but he had been more annoyed then hurt. He never would have thought that Greg felt he had done more serious harm to Nick.

"I can't believe you went out and did all that just for me," he said after he broke off the kiss. "To be honest, I had been just a little ticked off is all. You didn't have to do any of this."

"I wanted to Nicky. If you like this music, then the least I can do is try to understand it."

**Baby there ain't nothing not affected  
When two hearts get connected  
All that is will be or ever was  
I'm glad your dad could not resist  
And mammas charm to you exist  
All because two people fell in love**

Hugging the younger man closer to his chest, Nick ran a hand through the soft brunette hair.

"You want to know why I like Country Music Greg. When I listen to it, it makes me think about you."

"Me?"

"Yes. You and me. I think of the lyrics as lessons and they teach me not to mess what we have up. I don't want to end up like most of the guys in those songs singing about losing the most important thing in my life."

Greg said nothing first. Allowing Nick's words to sink in, Greg turned to look the beautiful Texan in his dark hazel brown eyes. That was when Greg saw that those same eyes had streaks of tears falling from them.

"You know, you can get the same thing from a Marylin Manson song."

Nick chuckled. "You're forgetting one thing Greg, to me, Marylin Manson sounds like a wet cat screeching while running its claws against a black board."

"Philistine," Greg said. He gently punched Nick on his chest before snuggling up close to him again.

"So, you really went out and bought a bunch of Country Music. I would have loved to see that."

"I was a nervous wreck. I must have looked like a teen buying his first porno to Craig."

"Craig? You bought this at Records, Disks and More?"

"Why not? I am his number one costumer?"

Nick placed another kiss on Greg's head and leaned back on the pillows with Greg in his hold.

**Ya know to me it's all so clear  
Every one of us is here  
All because two people fell in love**

"Do you really think Brad Paisley that adorable?" Nick questioned.

"Kind of," Greg replied, "But he's got nothing on you."

A baby's born in the middle of the night in a local delivery room  
They grab his feet smack him till cries he goes home the next afternoon

"You know, I think this stuff might be growing on me." Greg said after the song had ended.

Nick smiled. "That's good. Because now, I can start to teach you square dancing." Nick smiled at the look of pure horror on Greg's face.

-Important Note-

I find myself in need of a new Beta. My pervious beta, happyharper 13, informed me that she would no longer be able to edit for me since she no longer has the time to do so anymore. If you think you know anyone who would be a good choice to be my new beta, then please let me know. And do not forget to review. I hope I had you guessing at what Greg was buying. The Brad Paisley song is"_Two people fell in love_." I myself am not a Country Music fan. I just picked Brad Paisley because he was the first musician to come to mind. Records, Disks and More is a business my own creation. Thanks again.


End file.
